Cops are quizzing the footballers over allegations that 17

Twenty current and former Austrian footballers are being questioned over allegations that 17 matches may have been fixed in the last seven years.

Investigators said they were looking at nine matches in the Bundesliga - Austria's top division - and eight in the second division.

Federal criminal investigator Andreas Holzer said the 20 players being questioned came from a list of 30 found during house searches across the country.

Mr Holzer said: "Twenty of them have already been questioned and are being treated as suspects."

He added that in some cases, bets may have been placed on incidents such as penalties or corners rather than the results of matches.

The revelations came one day after the arrest of Austrian defender Dominique Taboga, who was released by his team SV Groedig two weeks ago over match-fixing allegations.

Taboga, 31, played in three of the 17 matches under investigation this season.

The player's club denied the matches had been fixed but said Taboga had admitted trying to persuade four team mates to manipulate matches - who had all refused.

Six people are currently in custody in connection with the case, including former Austrian international Sanel Kuljic and two Albanians.

Kuljic was arrested along with two other men over allegations they tried to blackmail Taboga and prosecutors say police caught them collecting money from the player in a shopping centre car park last month.